Government and Rebellion eBook

the light of present possibility—­contributed
towards this fearful condition? What by my love
of money, my sanction of oppression, my apologies for
wrong, my complaint against government, my support
of wrong principles, my neglect to vote and pray for
the right, my boast of national greatness, my worship
of power and neglect of goodness, my forgetfulness
of God? What by all these, and more that I do
not think of, have I done palpably, possibly, toward
bringing on this terrible crime against justice, humanity
and law? Then it is my duty to repent of all
this and deplore it. It is also my duty to strive
against personal hatred and revenge, and to pray for
my country’s enemies just as I would for my
own, and because they are my own—­not
that they prosper in their rebellion, but that they
repent and find mercy, and acknowledge the authority
against which they are at war. It is our duty
specially to pity and pray for the multitudes of good
citizens and their families, who cannot escape from
among the rebels, and who are in great jeopardy; men
who love law and the Constitution, and the whole country;
who are either resisting, under the greatest pressure,
the evil that is upon them, or yielding through fear
and force. We feel for them; we call them our
brothers. But it is also my duty and yours to
support our government—­our administration;
to pray for and sympathize with our President and
his Cabinet in their most trying posture, in the midst
of such perils, and with so meagre means for the moment,
of establishing order, and setting the nationality
in permanent security. It is our duty to report
traitors to the police, that they may be lawfully
cared for; to help our militia and volunteers with
every comfort and defence; to hold up the arm of government
so long as rebels remain.

This is our country, bought with blood.
It is second only to the redemption which Christ purchased
for us! And if we are called to contend with
principalities and powers, and spiritual wickedness
in high places, for the safety of our souls, surely
we may contend with flesh and blood, with rebels and
traitors, to save this glorious inheritance from the
gulf of anarchy and the bonds of a lasting servitude.
War is terrible, but slavery and plunder and
the silent gangrene of national dishonor, bribery
and perverted conscience are worse. The burst
of a thunder cloud may break down a forest of lofty
pines, but the slow delving of the mole may undermine
a thousand habitations. The secret corrosions
of the ship-worm will sink a fleet.

This deep-working, inward ruin is appearing on the
face of society. The stupendous fact is, that
from Baltimore, onward throughout the disaffected
States, the population is under the guidance of mad
leaders, and exposed to mob power. Thousands
of good citizens are flying to us for protection;
thousands more forced into the war against the country,
and other thousands sighing and praying in secret
that God will give success to our arms and rescue